Neuromusculoskeletal Examinations

Understanding Neuromusculoskeletal Examinations

If you’re like most people, you might not have heard of a neuromusculoskeletal examination, or NME for short. But, we see it as one of the best tools we have for helping folks feel their best. Think of it as a full-body check-up that looks at how your nerves, muscles, and bones work together. We’ll explain what an NME is, why it’s such an important service at our practice, and what its main goals are.

First off, let’s break down what a neuromusculoskeletal examination really means. “Neuro” refers to your nerves, which are like the body’s electrical wiring—they send messages from your brain to every part of you. “Musculo” is about your muscles, the strong tissues that help you move, lift, and even stand up straight. And “skeletal” points to your bones, the framework that holds everything up. So, an NME is a careful check where we look at all three of these systems and how they connect.

Before the exam, we start by talking with you about your daily life so we will discover what areas need to be examined. We need to discuss the history of the present illness. Was there a point in time where you can remember your pain starting or did it happen gradually over time? Was there a traumatic event in your life that made your symptoms begin? Does the pain stay local or does it travel to another part of the body? Do you have aches in your back after sitting at a desk all day? Or maybe your neck feels stiff from looking at your computer too much? We need to know if your stress level has increased recently or if you have made any other recent changes. All of these specific questions will determine what testing will need to be done.

Then, we do some basic observations to assess the “Musculo” and “skeletal” aspects. I might ask you to walk across the room so I can see how your body moves. Your posture may be analyzed to see if there is anything you may be doing to make your condition worse. For shoulders issues, I may ask you to raise and lower arms slowly to see how the scapulas move.  Same for TMJ issues, I may ask you to open and close jaw slowly to see if it opens straight or if it moves to one side.  We may also be listening for noises in the jaw. We may have you lay face up on the table to see if the bottom of your feet are equal to each other, or if one leg is “shorter”.

Next, we will perform some hands-on tests. We will palpate the area of discomfort and assess for any swelling or signs of inflammation. We run our hands along the spine to see what vertebrae are out of alignment and, if so, to what degree. We’ll perform orthopedic tests which gently move various parts of the body to assess what actions increase pain. We may test your muscle strength to see if there are any weaknesses. When it comes to the “neuro” part of the exam we may perform a variety of tests. We might test your reflexes, like tapping your knee with a special hammer to see how quickly it responds—that tells us about your nerve health. We may use a special spinning wheel to see if you have equal sensation from left to right extremities. If having neurological issues, we may assess your cranial nerves by taking a bright light to look at how your eye responds.

Now, why do I think this is one of the most important services we offer? Without a thorough exam it is very difficult to come up with a correct diagnosis. Usually, the recent medical history will help in determining the diagnosis, but the exam typically pinpoints it. A thorough neuromusculoskeletal exam can also help catch other issues early. It’s like giving your car a tune-up before the engine breaks down. By spotting problems soon, we can help you avoid surgery or strong medicines later on.

The goals of an NME are pretty straightforward but powerful. The exam help determine diagnosis and without a correct diagnosis it is close to impossible to develop a proper treatment plan. To give you the best care possible all of these things need to be done in the proper order. To sum it up we need to discover what is wrong so we can restore balance in your body. We want your nerves to send clear signals, your muscles to be strong and flexible, and your bones to be properly aligned. This helps with pain relief—whether it’s from an old injury or everyday wear and tear. Another goal is to boost your overall function. That means helping you move better, sleep deeper, and even think clearer, since a healthy spine supports brain health too.

The ultimate goal? To help you live a healthier, happier life without relying on pills or quick fixes. It’s about building long-term wellness, so you can enjoy playing with your kids, hiking in Florida’s beautiful parks, or just feeling good every day.